Baseball drops opening games against Louisiana Christian

PINEVILLE, La. - Six Wiley University players made their collegiate debuts as the Wildcats opened the 2024 season with 7-3 and 15-5 losses against Louisiana Christian University Friday at Billy Allgood Field.

The Wildcats (0-2) open with two losses for the second time in three seasons. They have lost seven straight against Louisiana Christian.

Sophomore Amir Mason started at second base in Game 1. He picked up his first career hit and RBI in the top of the fourth inning. Keyon Guillory made his pitching debut as a starter, striking out three batters in three innings. Manny Contreras and Jaylen Cream made their pitching debuts in the final three innings.

In Game 2, Corey Grant and Nick Rodriguez made their debuts on the mound. Grant threw two-thirds of an inning. Rodriguez got two outs and struck out one batter.

GAME 1

Wiley fell behind in the first inning after giving up two runs on a hit and an error. Both runs scored on wild pitches. The Wildcats allowed three runs in the third. They got on the board in the fourth. Ryan Ready doubled to right-center field. Mason drove him in with a single to right.

The momentum was short-lived as Louisiana Christian answered with two runs on three hits. Wiley added two runs in the sixth inning. Jhan Carlos Javier led off with a single and advanced when Ready got hit. A pair of errors brought home Ready and Javier.

GAME 2

The Wildcats fell behind after allowing three runs on three hits and an error. They gave up a run in the second, three in the third and four in the fourth. 

Kai Woodard put Wiley on the board with his first home run of the season in the second inning. With one out in the third, Christian Medina reached on an error. Darion Wallace courtesy ran for Medina and stole second. A wild pitch advanced him to third and he scored on a ground ball by Emanuel Gutierrez.

Trailing 11-2, Jalen Porter worked around two walks and held Louisiana Christian scoreless in the fifth. Woodard and Jacob Perez walked to start the sixth. They advanced on a sacrifice bunt by Ajari Camp. Albert Thurston II brought them home with a double to right. He scored on a single by Medina.

Louisiana Christian sealed the game with three runs in the sixth and a run in the seventh. It out-hit the Wildcats 12-4 and also benefited from 11 walks and three hit batters.

Daniel Cox made his first start of the season, throwing three innings and striking out three. Porter struck out three batters in 1 1/3 innings. Marquis Kuykendall and Nick Rodriguez each pitched two-thirds of an inning.

Wiley will return to the diamond on Tuesday when it visits Louisiana State University-Alexandria. The Generals were swept by Loyola University in a doubleheader on Saturday - falling to 0-5 on the season.

For more coverage on the Wildcats visit Baseball - Wiley University (wileyathletics.com)

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